Indoor golf game



Nov. 14, 1939. a. A. KAPLAN INDOOR GOLF GAME Filed Feb. 9, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l l N V E N TO efyamin hapan @uw 94 ATTO R N EYS NN, NN.

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B. A. KAPLA 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 TI/d 7 #f uw W www fz wfjjf;l;""\ MV1/.MM :l f, ,r if nl /f/ v f o o o m o o o o o o E o o o o o o o o o @E o c o o ITZ] o o o o C] o o o o I l o o o o :l o o o o E o o o o {I} o o o o [Il o o o o [:I o o o o I [j O o o o [Il o o o o :l o o o o Cj o o o o :I o o o o o 1:1 o O0 o o 1:] O o o o o o 1:1 o o o o o o 1:! o o o o o o E o o o o o o I -11:] O o W mw @/OT/ o o o o o o GFA B an J ,VL 1Q I J o N11-P 1L- 30 INVENTOR Patented Nov. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES elif!"instr ori-Ice 2,179,891 i INDOOR GOLF rGAME Benjamin A. Kaplan, `Philadelphia, Pa. Application February 9, 1939,`Serial No. 255,490

This invention relates to indoor golf.

An object of the invention is the provision of an arrangement whereby a golfer will have visual indication of the direction of flight of the ball after being struck and will also have visual indication of just how far the ball would travel at each stroke of the club, the visual indications being located upon a background representing a portion of a golf course with the hazards being indicated.

Another object of the invention' is the provision of a device for aiding in correcting the stroke of a golferwhile indicating to him the direction of flight of the golf ball in the distance covered by the ball, the ball in this case being connected to a revolving arm which` in turn is connected to a shaft universally mounted between its ends so that the inner free end of the shaft may swing in a plurality of directions for closing a plurality of circuits for illuminating lamps upon a background with the lamps indicating the direction of flight of the ball and also the distance traveled by the ball.

A further object of the invention is the pro- 25, vision of a device for aiding a golfer in correcting a mistake in his stroke in which the mechanism will be set in operation for indicating to him not only the direction of flight of the ball but the distance the ball should travel :ifi: in accordance with the impact of the golf club v head on the ball.

A still further objectV of the invention is the provision of a device for indicating to a golfer the angle of diversion` of the flight of the ball 3 5` when struck in a particular manner fro-m a line passing through the tee and the hole in the green, the device including a rod rotatably mounted on the outer end of .a shaft which is universally mounted for rotation and rocking move- 40; ment, a simulation o-f a golf ball being applied to one end of the rod while a weighted member is applied to the other end of the rod, the inner or free end of the shaft being located within a conically-shaped housing with a plurality of longitudinally disposed rows of contacts adapted to be engaged by a conductor which has threads adapted to mesh with a worm formed on the portion of the shaft located within the housing so that when the shaft is revolved the conductor 5o will be moved longitudinally inwardly in tracks i and will engage the row of contacts successively for illuminating lamps on a background depicting one of the holes of a golf course, a plurality of the conductors being located circumferentially of the housing so that when the simulated 1o claims. (ci. 27s-35.)

ball on the endy of the rod is struck the shaft will be revolved vand the inner end of the shaft will be tilted in a particular` direction, depending upon the manner in which the ball has been struck by the golfclub head so that the threads on'the shaft meshing with the threads on the conductor'will move the conductor along the predetermined path -and the illumination of the lamps connected with the contacts engaged `by the conductor will indicate the direction of flight of the ball and also the distance since the number of revolutions of the shaft will depend upon the forceby which'the simulated ball has been struck and the angle at which the golf club head strikes the ball.

This invention willv be best understood from Aa consideration of the following detailed descripfined to the disclosure, being susceptib-le of such changes andl modifications as define no material departure from the salient features of the invention '.asexpressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1A is a vertical longitudinal section of the operating mechanism of my device,

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 2-2 o f Fig. 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a simulated golfball connected with a revolving and rotating rod showing some of the positions of the golf club head when it contacts the simulatedball, 1

Figure 4 is a View in elevation o-f a supporting means, for the free end of a revolving shaft in a number of positions,

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken along the line 5-5 of Figg'l,

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1,

Figure 7 shows more or less diagrammatically the representation of a portion of a golf course,

Figure 8 shows more or less `diagramrnatically a wiring diagram showing the connections between the lamps depicting paths and various switches for lcontrolling the illumination of the lamps. g

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I0 designates a floor of a room which has an elongated opening II through which projects a rod l2 and a ball I3 which is made in simulation of a golf ball. The ball I3 is rigidly connected to the rod I2 in any approved manner.

l A base member III is located below the under- Sil, has a reduced portion 3l received bya slotn21 face of the oor I0 and upon which is rigidly mounted a block I5. Located within the block is a bearing I 6 in which is mounted a shaft, generally designated by the numeral I1. The bearing is of the universal type whereby the shaft may be revolved therein but which will permit the oscillation of the long portion I8 of the shaft in a plurality of radial directions. The rod I2 is rotatably mounted in a bearing I5 carried by the shortl end 260i the shaft I1 and this portion of the 'shaft isenlarged. The rod I2 extends upon opposite sides of the bearing I9 and this rod is divided into a long arm 231W and a short arm 22. A Weight 23 is secured to binding post for a wire 41. A bolt passes through an opening 48 located centrally of the disc 45 and a second perforation 49 is formed in the disc to receive a screw for connecting the disc to the closure 29 and preventing rotation of the disc 45.

It will be noted that one portion of the disc is provided with a plurality of radial slits 5E] to form spring fingers 5I. These spring ngers are indented, as shown at 52, to form pockets to receive a reducedv portion 53 attheiend of the shaft I1 so that when the shaft istiltedy after the ball I3 has been struck this reduced portion 53 will .engage one of the pockets and maintain the shaft in position so that when the worm 4l is revolved the outer end of the short arm 22 and'lo'alanelf thiswrn will be maintained in engagement the weight of the lone arm 2l and-theibalhl vwith the; teethof, the segmental gear 4u. and the Weight of the rod I2 together With the A series of contacts 55 are mounted in spaced Weights of the members I3,V 23 andthe ShO'Ii'.' relationalongeachslot 21, as shown in Figs. 1 portion 20 of the shaft I1 perfectly belenoestha. and` aand the inner projecting ends 5t of these Weight of the long portion I8 of the 'Shaft l1" eo'ntaetsaie adapted to be engaged by eninelined so that the-shaft willbe normally Supported in' e portion 51 formed on' the inner end of each Iconhorizontel position by thebearine I6,` as Shown dnetor 3o afterA the conductor moves along its n'Fg-'L f .l respective slot l21 so thatiwhen the reduced end a A conioaHyeshaped housingeenerelly'ldesigs-s'of the' shaft H isloeated within one of the Hated' by the'llllmelel 25, embraCeS the 1011 DOI'- pockets 52yof thedisc 45 electrical communicallOIl 0f the Shaft I8 and haS its inner .Well D'I'O- tion is made between the wire 41 and the, congressively'spacedv from the surface of thelong tacts-55.-A l f portion I1 ofthe shaft I8. The inner or smaller A Wire 5g extends from the Outer end 0f each end'Of the hOllSng iS rigidly Secured t0 the bleek contact 55, as shown more particularly inFig. 1. l5, asshown at Zefwhle 'the outer end is Sup Each wire connects a contact 55 with an las-y DOllied in any eDDfOVed menne1-' Ths'houslng sociated lamp of Ithesseries indicated at A. in iS' provided Wthla plurality 0f longitudinal slots Fig; If1.v A- parallel' series of` contacts indicatedv by 21 which extend` inwardly` from the outer en- 55a inl Fig, 3 are Connected by Wires 52 with larged end 28 of the housing to ajpOint Where .lamps 63 which are located in' seriesv indicated by the housing is connected to the block-I5. v These fhe-leti-,ey-B on beamer? l l longitudinal slots are spaced fromeach other It will 13e-noted thai-there are nine Conductors around the circumference OhehOUSnE-'he 3B 'and therefore there-are nine series of lamps outer end of the housing is closed by a .discA 29-v on 'thefboard indicated by the letters from A to I,

As shown more particularly in Figs; 1;. 2-and 3, inclusive. r l a'conduotor, generally designated by the numeral A' Wire` connects thelamp t iin series with a'lamp 66 and these lampsare located in boxes at 1one'sideofthe board as shownV in Fig. 7. A wire 61 is connected to a groundwire 68 and the'wire 61 is also connected ,to the lamp ,66.

A-'plurality 'of wiresf10 are arranged toV conne'ct each of the lampsv 63 with a plurality of lampsl 66 so that when the circuit is closed to the contacts 55 and the conductors 3B the lamps 6I in row A and the .lamp '66 will be illuminated. When .afconductor 3! associated with the contacts 55 is moved along the housing it will Close the circuits` through: said contacts to the lamps 63'andalso to the lamps 66 and these. circuits willbe closed consecutively as the conductor successively engages the vcontacts located adjacent the guide in which the conductoriis moved.

"fIt will =be noted that nine series of lamps are located upon the board-64 and one series of lamps 6I'fare consecutively illuminated as the conductor moves'along its respective'guide. At the same time the lamps 66 are likewise illuminated andsince the lamps are located in boxes upon which-numerals are placed, the golfer who is and these conductors are movable longitudinally of the slots from the outer enlarged end of the housing to the inner end" for a purpose which Will be presently explained. .f 3 f `The youter end .of the conductor is provided with a groove 32 which receives one end 33 of aspring v34. This spring is connected to Aa rod 35 mounted in the casing 36 and iixed to said casing and the spring is normally housed Within the casing when the conductors are located adjacent the Acuter end of the housing 25. "When the conductors 36 aremoved from the 'outerfend to the inner end'the spring is withdrawn from the housing but when the conductors are released the spring will wind upon the rod 35 and 'draw the conductors from the inner end to the outer end and to thepo'sitio'n shown in Fig. 1.4 The housings 35 are secured to the disc.29.an'd are radially disposed at' the periphery of the disc.`

The inner end of eachfconductor is provided with a segmental wormgear 4Ilrand this Worm gear is adaptedto meshA with a worm 4I formed of the long portion I8 of the shaft 'I1. l The shaft is tilted ory rocked when the ball I3 has'been struck by a golf club head. When the head is struck the shaft'IT is revolved and the inner end of the shaftis likewise tilted so that when themrevolving wormvIlI engages the se'gmental gear dll with a conductor 3 6 the conductor will be moved along'its respective slot v21 from the outer end to the inner end ofv the housing.

A spring metal disc 45 is shown more particur` larly in Figs. 4 and 5,715, secured to the disc or closure29 by a bolt 46' which also acts as a in frontof him and located vat an angle to the floorinf the building andthe can tell'approximately what path' the ball will take in accordancewiththe manner in which the element I3 is struck and the distance that the conductor travels along its guide will be indicated by the numerals in the lamp housing 1I, since these numerals indicate the yardage that theball would ordinarily have traveled if it had been placed on Aafgolfl course. The series of lamps indicated by the letters represent the coursethat the ball willl practicing can inspect the board which is directly take in its flight after it has been driven from the tee.r

When the element I3 is struck by the golf club head the rod 2I may not only be rotated in the bearing I9 but it will revolve as will be the shaft 20 and likewise the worm 4I. The shaft will also be tilted and the tilting of the shaft will depend upon the contact between the head 'I5 of the golf club 'I6 with the element I3. If the stance of the golfer is correct the worm 4I will be tilted in a horizontal direction so that it will engage the gear at the inner end of the conductor 30a which is located in a horizontal plane as shown in Fig. 2.

Since the shaft I'I and the worm 4I are revolving, the intermeshing worm gear on the conductor 30a will cause this conductor to move along the slot or guide 2'I and the member 51 will successively engage the contacts 56 and consequently cause the lamps in the series indicated at A (Fig. '7) to be illuminated. e

If, on the other hand, the golfer does not strike the ball properly the ball in its flight over the course will assume any of the other positions to one side of the series A and the lamps in one of the other series then will be illuminated and the golfer would have substantially a picture of the flight of his ball as indicated by the lamps on the board 64. Since the lamps in the boxes 1I are also lighted successively the golfer will be able to determine approximately the distance that the ball will travel. These boxes are marked with the numerals beginning with 14 and increasing in arithmatical progression up to approximately three hundred and fty yards which approximates the distance from the tee to the green, indicated by the numeral 77.

When the shaft I1 is located in a horizontal position and at rest the metal projection 53 at the end of the shaft and adjacent the disc 45 is out o-f contact with the disc and therefore the circuit is broken at this point.

While I have shown springs 34 for returning the conductors 3U to their normal inoperative position at the outer enlarged end of the housing it will be appreciated that these conductors may be moved to this position manually if so desired and where itis found practical to do so.

The arm 22 is shorter than the arm 2| of the rod I2 so that when this rod is revolved after the ball I3 has been struck the balancing weight 23 will move through a circle which is below the top of the floor I0 whereby only the ball I3 will appear above the floor once every revolution. Spacing of the contacts and the number of these con- 4 tacts will depend upon the number of revolutions of the rod I2 when it is struck full force so that a conductor willtravel the full length of its guide or, in other words, the housing is of such a length that a conductor will travel a maximum distance to represent a distance of approximately three hundred and fifty yards for the flight of the ball.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 6 the bearing I6 is held in place by a cap I5a bolted to the block I5.

I claim:

l. An indoor golf game comprising a shaft, a bearing mounting the shaft for rotation and universal oscillation adjacent one end and dividing the shaft into a long and short portion, a radial rod rotatably mounted in the short portion of the shaft, a ball on one end of the rod adapted to be struck by a golf club head to cause tilting and rotation of the shaft, a balancing weight at the other end of the. rod, the long portion of'the shaft being provided with a worm, a housing enclosing the long portion of the shaft and provided with a plurality of longitudinal guides, an electric conductor in each guide, each conductor provided with a segmental worm gear adapted to mesh with the worm on the shaft when the long portion of the shaft is tilted into engagement with said worm gear, a series of spaced contacts on the housing adjacent each guide and consecutively engaged by the respective conductor when said conductor is moved along its guide by the revolving worm, a plurality of lamps, a lamp for each contact and in circuit with said contact and with the Worm, means connecting each lamp and the worm with a source of current, and means retaining the long portion of the shaft in tilted position when said worm has been moved into engagement with a gear on a conductor.

2. An indoor golf game comprising a shaft, a bearing mounting the shaft for rotation and universal oscillation adjacent one end and dividing the shaft into a long and short portion, a rod projecting from the opposite sides of the short portion of the shaft, a ball on one end of the rod adapted to be struck by a golf club head to cause tilting and rotation of the shaft, a balancing weight at the opposite end of the rod, a worm on the long portion of the shaft, a housing provided with a plurality of longitudinal guides, the long portion of the shaft being located normally at the center of the housing, an electrical conductor in each guide, each conductor provided with a segmental worm gear adapted to mesh with the worm when the long portion of the shaft is tilted into engagement with said worm gear, a series of spaced contacts on the housing adjacent each guide and consecutively engaged by the conductor when said conductor is moved along its respective guide by the revolving worm, a lamp for each contact and in circuit with said contact and with the worm, means connecting each lamp and the worm with a source of current, and means retaining the long portion of the shaft in tilted position when the worm has been moved into engagement with a gear of a conductor.

3. An indoor golf game comprising a shaft having a worm at one end, a bearing mounting the shaft for rotation and universal oscillation, a rod projecting from opposite sides of the shaft adjacent the bearing, a ball on one end of the rod adapted to be struck by a golf club head to cause tilting and rotation of the shaft and worm, a balancing weight at the other end of the rod, a housing enclosing the worm and provided with a plurality of longitudinal guides, an electrical conductor in each guide, each conductor provided with a segmental worm gear adapted to mesh with the worm, the shaft and worm are tilted into engagement with said worm gear, a series of spaced contacts on the housing adjacent each guide and consecutively engaged by the respective conductor when said conductor is moved along its guide by the revolving worm, a lamp for each contact in circuit with said contact and with the worm, means connecting each lamp and the worm with a source 0f current, and means retaining the worm and the shaft in tilted position when said worm has been moved into engagement with a gear of a conductor.

4. An indoor golf game comprising a shaft having a worm at one end, a bearing located between the worm and shaft and mounting the shaft and worm for rotation and universal oscillation, a rod projecting from opposite sides of the shaft adjacent the bearing, a ball on one end `of the rod adapted to'v be struck byy a golf club head to cause tilting and` rotation of the shaft and Worm, a housing enclosingthe worm and provided with a plurality of longitudinal guides, an electrical conductor in each guide, each conductor provided with a segmental worm gear-adapted to mesh with the Worm When the shaft and Worm are tilted into engagement with said Worm gear, a series of spaced contacts on the housing adjacent each guide and Aconsecutively engaged bythe respective conductor When said .conductor is moved along its guide vby the revolving worm, a lamp for each contact in circuit with said contact and' with the Worm, means connecting each lamp and the Worm with a source of current, and means retaining the Worm and the shaft in tilted position When said Worm has been moved into engagement with a gear of a conductor.

5. An indoor golf game comprising a shaft, a bearing mounting the shaft for rotation and universal oscillation adjacent one end and dividing the shaft into a long and short portion, a rod connected to the short portion of the shaft, a ball on the rod adapted to be struck by a golf club head and cause tilting and rotation of the shaft, the Weight of the shaft at one side of the bearing balancing the remaining portion of said shaft so that the shaft Will lie normally in a longitudinal plane, a housing enclosing the long portion of the shaft and provided with a plurality of longitudinal guides, an electrical conductor in each guide, cooperating means on the long portion of the shaft and the conductor for 35A4 causing movement of the conductor along a guide when the shaft is tilted into engagement with said conductor and revo1veda series of spaced contacts on the housing adjacent each guide and consecutively engaged by the respective conductor when said conductor is moved along its guide by the revolving shaft, a plurality of rows of lamps, a lamp for each contact and in circuit with said contact and with the shaft, means connecting each lamp and the shaft with a source of current, and means retaining the long portion of the shaft in position when said portion has been moved into engagement With a conductor..

6. An indoor golf game comprising a shaft, a bearing mounting the shaft for rotation and universal oscillation adjacent one end and dividing the shaft into a long and short portion, a rodrotatably mounted in the short portion of the shaft, a ball on one end of the rod adapted to be struck by a golf club head and cause tilting and rotation'of the shaft, the shaft being balanced for a normal horizontal position, a Worm on the long portion of the shaft, a plurality of guides spaced progressively from the long portion of the shaft and extending from points adjacent the bearing, an electrical conductor in each guide, leach conductor provided With a segmental Worm gear adapted to mesh with thev worm on the shaft when the long portion of the shaft is tilted into engagement with saidworm gear, a series of spaced contacts arranged adjacent each guide and consecutively engaged by '7. vAn indoor golf game comprising a shaft, a bearing mounting the shaft for rotation and universal oscillation, a rod mounted at one 4end of the shaft, a ball on one endof the rod adapted to be struck by a golf club head and cause tilting andl rotation of the shaft, a balancing Weight at' the other end ofthe rod, the other end of the shaft being provided With a Worm, a plurality. of longitudinal guides surrounding the last-mentioned end of the shaft, an electrical conductor in `each guide, each conductor provided With a'segmental worm gear adapted to mesh with the Worm on the shaft when `said shaft is tilted into engagement With said Worm gear, a series of spaced contacts arranged adja-A cent each guide and consecutively engaged'by an associated conductor when said conductor is moved along its guide by the revolving Worm, a plurality of series of lamps, a lamp for each contact and in circuit with said contact and with the Worm, means connecting. each lamp and the Worm With a source of current,- and-means retaining the longxportionof the shaft in position when said portion has been moved into engagement with a, gear on a conductor.

8. An indoor golf-game comprising a shaft, a bearing mounting the shaft intermediate the ends thereof forl rotation and universal oscillation, means on one end of the shaft. adapted to be struck by agolf club headfor causing rotation and-tilting of the shaft, a conical housing enclosing the other end of the shaft, a plurality of electrical conductors Acarried by the outer end of the4 housing, means guiding each conductor in parallel relation With the shaft longitudinally along the shaft, cooperating means between the shaft and the conductorsA for causing said'conductors to` be moved along the guiding means, a series of spaced contacts along each guiding means adapted to be engaged successively by the respective conductor, a conductor adapted to be engaged bythe shaft when the shaft has been tilted against the conductor,- a plurality of series of lamps,y a lamp for each contact and in circuit with said contact and the shaft, means" connecting each lamp and the shaft With a source of' current, and means retaining the shaft in position when said shaft has been moved into engagement with a` conductor. v

9. An indoor golf game comprising a shaft, means mounting-the shaft for rotation and universal oscillation, means on the shaft adapted to be struck by a golf club head for causing rotation and vtilting ofl said shaft, means holding the shaft in its'tilted position, a plurality of conductors arranged -around .the shaft, means guiding each conductor in a path longitudinally of said shaft, cooperating means between each conductor and said shaft for causing the conductor to be moved along its respective path, a plurality of series of lamps representing paths through which a golf ball may travel, a series of contacts arranged along each guiding means, each series of lamps being electrically connected with a selected series of contacts, means including the shaft and holding means -for electrically connecting thelamps and the conductors With a source of current.

10. An indoor golf game comprising a shaft, means mounting the shaft for rotation and universal4 oscillation, means on the shaft adapted to be struckl by a golf club head. for causing rotation and tilting of said shaft, means holding the shaft in its tilted position, a plurality ofl Cond-CWIS @Ilallged arlllld", the. Shaft,m8ls

with a selected series of contacts, means including the shaft and holding means electrically connecting the lamps and the conductors with a source of current, and a series of lamps, said lamps being in series with the mst-mentioned lamps and With the contacts for indicating the distance the golf ball may travel.

BENJAMIN A. KAPLAN. 

